


Hallow

by BurningPlumBranches



Series: Salem [1]
Category: Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: AU, Heart Attacks, M/M, Salem Witch Trials, Slow Build, Witchcraft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-14
Updated: 2015-03-12
Packaged: 2018-02-20 11:53:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 7
Words: 4,743
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2427728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BurningPlumBranches/pseuds/BurningPlumBranches
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alois is a 14-year-old Puritan living in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692, during the time of the Salem Witch Trials. His father is part of the church but Alois is a witch. No, he is not evil, and no he did not make any deal with the devil. He is a white witch.  He doesn't hurt people, and respects nature. But with the town in a frenzy over witches, after the arrival of a new and mysterious church leader named Claude Faustus, can Alois stay safe, or will he find himself at the wrong end of a noose?</p><p> </p><p>I've also decided this will be a trilogy. There will be a Modern AU/Spin-off(?) and a continuation of this story.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Grove

   The grove is where I had always played. No one else went there, and I could be alone. It was also a place I could do magic. The energy there was just right and I could feel connect to The Mother. I was born in Salem, but my family was from England. My father was a church official, and he moved to Salem and married my mother. She died in childbirth, but not with me. I was about 5 when she and my little brother died. My father never remarried, saying he was tied to her, heart and soul, and they would reunite in Heaven. Life in Salem is hard sometimes. I never had any friends, I was always different, and I knew I had to hide it to stay safe. My mother had told me about The Mother, the spirit of the Earth that dwelt among us and made all life possible. She said that she was kind and loving, but you should never give her reason to get angry. That is why we must treat all life with kindness and mercy. If you love The Mother, as she loves you, she'll let you do special things. 

  "But don't tell anyone, Alois." She told me, "Not everyone is kind, and what you do with The Mother's power could frighten them. When unkind people are scared they will try to hurt what scares them."

  I wanted to stay in the grove forever, but there was an important meeting that night, and I had to leave. It was late winder and cold and damp. I put my hate a cloak back on and went to meet my father. "Where were ye, Alois?" he asked sternly

  "I was... just walking." I told him, looking down. 

  "We cannot be late." he said and pulled me along. 

  I never liked church. Partly because I wasn't sure that God cared about us, if he was real. And how could he hear us, if he was in the sky and was were all the way down on Earth and inside, no less. I didn't know what this meeting was about The town had become very strange over the past few weeks, after the arrival of a new official named Claude Faustus. He was very young, and handsome, and single. Father went to go take his seat with the others, and I joined the congregation. The meeting started. Recently, there was a slave who was brought up on witchcraft charges, along with two other puritan ladies. The slave, named Tituba, had confesses to dealing with the devil. The other two did not. Then was Rebecca Nurse. I didn't really understand, I had never made a deal. Mother had never told me about dark magic, so I didn't know it existed. Since then, the town was going a little crazed about these supposed witches. My gaze wondered around some, and I noticed that Claude Faustus was staring at me. Suddenly a girl shrieked

  "Look! She is suckling her yellow bird between her fingers!" cried Ann Putnam, one of those girls who was always going around fainting and claiming to see witches flaying in mist. I thought, _If I could fly, I'd fly far away from here._

  Everyone began to mummer and there was an unsettled air around. I found it hard to breath and wanted space. But if I got up to leave, what would they think? The girls began screaming, flinging them selves around, fainting, and contorting themselves. Everything was so loud, everyone was screaming. Rebecca Nurse, insisting she was innocent, The ministers and Reverend Paris demanding she confess, the screaming girls, and the cries of the other church members.

  Rebecca Nurse was arrested and carried off. I waited outside afterwards for my father to come, the silently followed him, shaken and scared by what I had just witnessed. "Ye shall make dinner tonight, Alois." father told me

"Yes father."

"We cannot trust the goodwifes of the village any longer. Tis not know who is witch and who is not."

"Yes father."

  As a boy, I had been taught to behave more like girls did, on account of my father. His constant abuse and infotainment of complete obedience  to him had made me very quiet and yielding. I did what I was told, although I was becoming an age where me and him should be working together, I still worked for him. So for dinner I made pottage. I could hardly cook, but pottage was anything you had, toss it in, stir over heat. I'd be worried if we weren't puritan, and devout of living a simple life of "What God Giveth". We ate silently, low fire, only one candle. 

"And what do ye think, Alois? Of these witches?"

"Father, tis not thy place, I leave it to the church and to God."

"Will ye always keep thine mouth sealed, and not speak unless spoken?"

"Yes, father."

  He gave no approval, only pushed his empty bowl to me, "Clean, Alois." and left for bed. I cleaned alone, looking out at the already dark sky and thinking how it was all wrong. If she was a witch and I was a witch, I would have seen a yellow bird, surly, but I didn't see anything. I brought in more fire wood, topped off the fireplace in my father's room, (he was sitting up in bed reading the Bible, and ignored me) then went to my own room. 

  There had to be a better place, far away from Salem, far away from this nightmarish land where we weren't wanted. There had to be kinder people in the world, who loved and accepted everyone.

 

_**To be continued....** _

 

 

 


	2. Permissions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alois has dreams about what is to come. People seem to be going mad. Is there nothing that can be done to save the village from consuming itself?

  I was in the grove, except everything was dead, the earth was charred, and the trees reached up to the flaming sky like black claws. There was a howling wind, yet everything was still except myself, and I thought I would be town from the earth and into that vast, dying sky. In the distance, there were 2 figures. One was in a swarm of flies. The other in a swarm of spiders. 

  I shot up from bed panting and sweating. I looked out the window to the sky just turning light. I got up, dressed and set about getting the fires going for the day. Father, still not trusting anyone to hire as a servant, I had to do all the cooking and cleaning now. I nearly burnt the bacon and the eggs were still a little runny. I served my father lukewarm tea, we were out of sugar, and the poor excuse for a meal. We said grace and ate in silence. I didn't know what he had planned today, but I'd be cleaning the house, chopping wood, and weeding the garden.

  "There is going to be another meeting tonight." he said to me, sipping his tea.

  "A meeting or a hearing?" I asked

  "Tis both."

 "What time?"

  "Four o'clock. What have ye planned?" He asked. I told him my plans, "Tis best ye put thy gardening off til tomorrow, Alois."

  I nodded, and set about clearing the table. I decided to get the wood chopped first, our supply was running low. I'd clean as much as I could before 3 o'clock and do the rest when we got back. While I was chopping wood I started thinking about my dream. It all had to mean something. The two figures, who were they? I shook my head and finished the chopping, then went and started cleaning house.

  "Alois, we are going to be late!" my father called. I

  "I am coming, Father!" I called back, hurrying to finish. I put on my cloak and followed him out the door. It was supposed to be almost spring, but winter was clinging to us with it's cold, icy claws. The church was packed, everyone in Salem, of course. I sat near the back, pressed tightly in the pews between two other puritans. 

  "I'm innocent!" the woman cried

  "I'm innocent!" the girls mimicked in unison

  Claude Faustus was there again, of course. But he was staring at me again. I decided to stare back at him. Our eyes locked and for some reason I thought of my dream again. All the girls were screaming and flailing, but suddenly I felt removed from all that. I was aware of what was happening around me, but I was not part of it.  _What do you see?_ I saw two sides of the town. I had seen two figures. The devil was not in Salem. It was 2 beings fighting over us. Or so I thought. My own father began talking, after the poor woman had been dragged off, about the infestation of witches and how we needed to snuff out this evil. I had to get out of there. I excused myself and went outside into the cool evening. The meeting was over in the next few moments, and people cam pouring out. I stayed where I was, leaning on the church wall. 

  "Ye should be more careful, Alois." came a voice. I looked up to see Claude Faustus walking towards me.

  "I had to excuse myself." I said

  "What will people think? Leaving during a witch trial, ye could get accuse." 

  "I will be more careful." I said

  He just smiled at me and ran his fingers through my hair. I pulled away, uncomfortable. He laughed, "Someday you wont pull away from me." he whispered.

  "Alois!" my father called, and I had never been happy to have him call me.

  "My father is calling me, good evening, Claude Faustus."

  "Good evening, Alois Trancy."

  I ran off and found my father, and didn't speak a word on the way home.

 


	3. Breaking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tag updates, please read.

  Spring had some and gone, and the new growth a life should have made me happy, but with the deaths of so many around me, how could I be? It seemed as if time and life was frozen in winter, and the green around me was just an illusion. I sat numbly in the church as yet another trial was proceeding. It was hot inside, all the windows were open and people were fanning themselves with cloths and rags. Father hadn't been well, and looked close to collapsing. The crowd was jeering, not so many as before. The girls tossed around, screeching, but for once, the elders didn't look as amused. Maybe it was the heat.

 

  A girl from the accusers let out a terrible shriek. It was then, my father groaned and clenched his chest. The men around him began to mummer, and look at him. One put a hand on his back and leaned close to him. I could hear what they were saying. I stood up, and he soon collapsed, "Father!" I shouted. I rushed to his side and the others backed off. He was making odd sounds, like he was trying to say something, "Someone, someone please help!" I shouted.

"It's witchcraft!!!" someone in the room exclaimed, "It's the devil!"

Someone else screamed, and suddenly there was commotion and chaos again. 

 

"Father...." I whispered, "Don't go, don't leave me."

 

Only one person heard me.

 

My father was dead.

 

* * *

 

  His funeral was 3 days later. It was me and the other elders. No one else came, maybe they didn't care, or they were too scared. I was trying hard no to cry, but I couldn't help it. I was now completely by myself. No family left, no friends. My father wasn't the kindest person, but he was all I had. I couldn't live in his house anymore. The elders were giving me a week to make arrangements. I didn't know what to do! I considered going to Boston and trying to find work, but I had no connections and not very much money.  

  I had 4 days left in the house when he came. It was raining, no pouring rain. Summer rain, a light storm in the afternoon with a promise to get worse when evening came.

 

"You can come stay with me." he said when I opened the door.

 

"M-Mr. Faustus?"

 

"Come stay with me, Alois Trancy." He said again. So I did. That afternoon in fact, I gather my few belongings in a bed sheet because I did not own a bag or trunk of any sort, and left with him, locking the house up.  


	4. Hypnosis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> My head cannon is that Hannah is from India.
> 
> Tag update.

  When I woke up I felt like I was still in a haze. The world was just too bright, brighter than it ever had been, but maybe it was just the wine from the night before. Claude's house was warm, and the colors were rich. When I fist entered I was in aw. I had never seen such wealth, and I didn't know what to think. Claude showed me to my room. There was a big plush bed with curtains hanging from it. 

  "Ye can put thy things in this trunk, Alois. Put them away and come down for dinner." Claude said.

  "Yes, sir." I said. He left and I unpacked the things I brought and neatly put them away. It was already getting dark. There was a candle in the room, but no way to light it, so I made my way down stairs in the dark, feeling along the wall. I could smell cooking food and feel warmth from a fire. I walked towards a light under the door into the dinning room where a feast was set out. The table was long, and Claude was sitting at one end. He motioned to the other end, the only other chair. 

  Someone else was in the room too. A tall dark woman with silver hair. "This is Hannah." Claude said, "My maid-servant."

  Hannah nodded.

  "She is blind in one eye and does not speak, but she can hear and understand ye. If thou shalt need anything, just ask her. Be kind to her. I wont have ye or anyone ever mistreat her."

  "Is she a native or is she from the orient?" I asked, taking my seat.

  "She is from India." Claude said, sipping port from a glass, "Why do you ask? Not many would be interested in the origin of a maid."

  "I had hope she was. I... I have never been anywhere." 

  "Ye would like to travel?"

  "Someday." I said with a nod.

  "Hannah, pour Alois a glass of wine." Claude ordered with a snap of his fingers. The maid came a poured me a glass. I took a small sip. "Please eat, Alois."

  I nodded, and began to eat. I had never eaten anything as rich as this and felt that if I didn't restrain myself I would become ill, but if I didn't keep eating I would never have another chance to eat this well. Memories of boiled cabbage and pottage, tasteless, plain. This food was sinful and I was sinning to eat it. Father would be in ragged.  At that moment I felt that I would be sick. 

  Claude was at my side in a moment, "Are you alright?"

  "Dizzy." I panted

  "Poor thing, ye have never had wine..."

  "Father would be angry!" I stammered.

  Claude held me close to him, "Let's go sit down in the parlor for a moment." he said softly to me, and led me to his parlor. Still so warm and soft and I felt like I was drifting. I don't know how but I ended up in Claude's lap and it ghosted across my mind that this too was very wrong. I was too old to be cuddled with. His thumb gently grazed across my cheek, catching a tear as he leaned in and gently kissed my lips.

  My eyes snapped open, and it was morning, and I was in the bed he gave me, still in a haze.


	5. Ashen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How about 2 chapters in a weeks time?

  Summer was quickly turning into a drab, and dreary autumn. It rained, seemingly to no end, and time seemed to pass in a blur. I had been in Claude's house for several months, doing hardly anything. He was gone during most of the day. I assumed it was church business. He told me that I could go anywhere in the house, no place was out of bounds, but not to leave the grounds without his expressed permission. And I wasn't to lift a finger. Hannah did all the cooking and cleaning. Claude hired someone else to care for the other manual labor. I spent some time in Claude's study. He had a large collection of books. I had never seen so many. And some were on very strange topics. There were some on religion. Puritanism, Lutheranism, Catholicism. Some were on other's I had never heard of. Some where on witchcraft. I figured they were so he'd know what to look for. I opened one and began reading.

  Mother had never told me about black magic. The book I had opened was about that. I skimmed through it. The part I opened up on was about sending people visions. "So it is possible...." I said, remembering the girls shrieking about a yellow bird. I hadn't been able to see it because the vision was not intended for me. Another part talked about controlling the thoughts and actions of others. "Nothing good can come from any of this..." I closed the book and took down another. This one was about demons. There was a chapter about demons who could take form of men. Another about how demons had territories, and would fight over them. These territories could be places, things and people. They could even be names, elements, and emotions. I put this book away too. I found another book about known plants in The Americas and took this one back to my room to read.

  Another thing I found was that Hannah was very quiet. Things would seemingly appear out of nowhere. I would start to feel thirsty and I'd look down at the end table and a cup of tea would be there, as if it had just been poured. Similar things would happen if I was hungry, food would appear. If I was cold, the fire would grow warmer. If it was dark, candles would seemingly light themselves. This seemed the strangest. I thought maybe I was lighting them using magic and I began to try and practice this. I could make a spark no matter how hard I tried. I didn't focus too long on this. What if someone saw me?

  At few times a month I dined with Claude. Each time, he served me wine, and each time I had to be taken to my room. I was starting to last longer in a haze, while sitting with him in the parlor. He'd talk to me, ask me things, and by morning I could not recall the conversation. This scared me. What if I said something to put myself in danger? I was growing restless. I felt sluggish and hazing so often from the lack of exercise. I expressed this to Claude one evening over our dinner.

  "I told ye, ye may go into town whenever thou wish. Ye need only ask." Claude said

  "It's just... you are away..."

  "Ask me when I'm around and we can arrange it."

  "May I ask you now?"

  Claude nodded, "Thy may come with me tomorrow. I am going to Boston for a few days. Would ye like to come?" 

  I nodded, taking a sip of my wine. 

* * *

 

The next morning I woke in my normal haze. Claude was already gone. He left me a note that Hannah brought me with my morning tray. 

_Dearest Alois,_

_Thou were ill this morning, thus I've gone without ye. I will be back in a few days and I will bring you a present._

_Claude F._

  I was upset about it, and couldn't help crying. I had really wanted to go. A few nights later, Claude roused me from my sleep, "Alois, I am back. I've brought you something." He whispered to me. He was holding a candle and leaned over me to light the other one. I sat up, rubbing my eyes. He gave me a large bundle, wrapped in brown paper. I opened it to reveal a rich velvet purple cloak with gold fastenings. "Claude, this is beautiful, but I shalt dare wear it! It's too rich, it's ungodly, the church would hang me!"

  "Save it for when we go to Boston next time." Claude said gently, caressing my face. 

  I smiled at him and hugged him, "I shall!"

  He lightly kissed my head, then pulled back a moment and looked at me. He slowly leaned in and kissed me deeply on the lips.

  Once more, it was like a blink, and it was morning. I was still clutching the purple cloak. 

 


	6. Safe Haven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm kinna on a role. Please go check out the mix I made for this fic on 8tracks: http://8tracks.com/burningplumbranches/my-writing-music-for-hallow

   _"I know about you and the grove._

_You play there in your bare feet._

_I know about you playing with fire._

_And how your mind drifts at Worship."_

* * *

  I slowly blinked awake. It was late fall, and a frost had come. I had been feeling so strange lately. My mood was like the sky, now constantly bleak and gray. I put on my plain black cloak and hat, and left the house. I walked mindlessly to the grove. I had not been there since father died. It was foggy out, and the road was damp, getting my shoes muddy. These were rare moments I could sneak away if I left early for Church. I made sure no one was around before darting into the woods. I sat down on a fallen tree and listened to the sounds around me. Suddenly, I heard a twig snap. I quickly turned and saw Claude. 

"Alois, what are ye doing here?"

"I... wanted to be alone for a moment." I told him

  He came closer to me, and took my hands, "Thy hands are cold, ye'll catch thy death." He stood, and lead me out of the grove, "Ye must be more careful, what if someone saw ye?"

"I am sorry." I said softly.

"Thou art forgiven."

  Another meeting, another accused of witchcraft. I blew hot air on my cold fingers. Sitting in the back, I could ignore most of what was going on. I wished I could do half the magic these girls said witches could do. I wouldn't be cold if I could make fire in my hands. I waited inside for the meeting to be over for Claude. "Go on, Alois, I must take care of some things." He told me. I nodded and left. The wind had picked up and nearly swept me up with it, and as it grew darker I could hear the sound of thunder off in the distance. I tried to hurry home, but he rain beat me, and I was drenched by the time I got home. Hannah was waiting for me with a warm blanket and a hot cup of tea, "Thank you, Hannah." I said, taking them and going to my room to change. I sneezed and decided to get into bed in case I was catching a cold. 

  A roll of thunder woke me, I was shaking and crying for some reason, so cold.

  "Shh." A hand was on my face, "Alois, be calm, I am right here."

  A cup was brought to my lips, warm and strong, and thick and rich. I drank it. "Claude... Claude don't leave me...." I whispered

* * *

 

  If I thought I was in a haze before, I was really in one while I was sick. My eyes opened to sunshine glittering through the window. Claude was sitting in a chair by my bead, "Claude..."

  He smiled warmly at me, "Ye scared me, Alois. I told ye, ye would catch a cold. You were asleep for 3 days, but thy fever has broke."

  "I'm thirsty." I said softly. Claude handed me a tea cup that had been sitting on my table. I sat up to drink it. 

  "I think it's almost time that we leave Salem." Claude said

  I could not speak. I looked at him, mouth open. 

  "You are not safe here. I've tried to keep you protected, but it's getting harder and harder. You're bored, and cooped up all the time. Would't you like to live somewhere where you can do what you want and won't get accused for it?"

  "Claude?" I asked, "What are you talking about?"

  "I have a house in France."

  "You do?" I said, surprised, "When, how?"

  "I am leaving in a month and ye are to come with me. You would like that, right?"

  I slowly nodded. It made sense. I had no family, nothing keeping me here.

  "I shall go with you." I said


	7. Sacrament

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the chapter you have all been waiting for.  
> 

  The winter was getting colder, and the mood of the town and village more bitter and strange. People were scared of being accused of witch and were willing to accuse to avoid being accused. But this was proving to not save any one either. Claude was right, we had to leave, but with the weather getting so cold, it looked like out journey would be delayed until spring, or the end of winter. 

  I was sitting up on my bed, looking out at the winter morning. It was surprisingly sunny and there was just a hint of frost. 

  "What are ye thinking of, Alois?" Claude asked, "About how beautiful this morning is? Can you remember a time when the sky was not gray, when a mist didn't settle over Salem?"

  "The mist is still there." I said softly. "But it seems that it has lifted from thy eyes."

  I felt a depression in the bed and Claude's arms wrapped gently around me in a protective embrace. I felt his lips at my ear, "And what do ye see now?" he said. He was only in a lose shirt and trousers, and I just in my night shirt. This made me feel odd, exposed and shamed. 

  "The dawn."

  He kissed my temple and his fingers began working on the laces to the night shirt I wore. I stopped his hands with one of my own, and he gently took my hand away and pulled me down to the bed with him.

  "It would be better if ye don't fight me." he said, pulling my shirt away. "I have waited a long time for this, for this sacrament, and ye can chose to give it to me or I can take it but I will have ye."

  Then I got scared and began to really struggle. Claude pinned down both of my arms and saddled either side of me and forced his mouth on mine. His hand traveled between my legs, and I pulled away, "S-stop.... please stop." I gasped

  A hand took my chin, "Will ye always keep thine mouth sealed, and not speak unless spoken?".

  My eyes widened at the words that had once been spoken by my father. He other hand held both mine, he released my chin to grab for a bottle. He worked the condense inside his own pants and pulled out his phallus. His slicked hand then went between my legs again, and I felt his fingers at my entrance. I squirmed at the pressure inside me and grunted in discomfort. He added another finger and began trying to stretch me out. I let out a sudden gasping moan, my body betraying me, or deceiving me in leading me to think the felt good behind the pain and discomfort. He pulled his fingers out and I sighed. My eyes drifted closed too soon, and in a moment I felt something else trying to push inside. The pain made me cry out. It was far worse than his fingers. I felt my back arch, and I was heaving and panting. 

  "Don't cry, Alois." he said gently, his hands leaving my own and cupping my face wet with tiers. He kissed me gently, as gently as he had kissed me the first time. 

  He rocked against me for some time, grunting as I softly whimpered and heaved. In a moment I felt something warm fill me. When he pulled out I felt it travel down my nakedness and Claude held me close, shushing and cooing me. What had we just done? I knew in my heart what it was. It was something married people did together to have children. 

  "Art I thy wife now?" I whispered

  "Yes." Claude said softly to me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello Everyone!  
> I thought I'd go back and answer a few questions here. Like why my chapters are so short? True, I've answered that I get in too much of a hurry to get something published that I rush through and post something, but also I really wanted there to be 7 chapters. I don't like adding unnecessary fluff to my work. I don't like clouding up my story with bull. I like things to be direct and get my message across without focusing on tiny details that have nothing to do with the plot or character development. My chapters are short because I feel that's all that needs to be said in that one chapter, and I feel ready for the next.   
> I really like history, and I watch documentaries and read historic books, like actual historic text and stuff, for fun. I go through phases on what I like to learn about. When I started this I was doing Salem (again), and also witch trials in Europe. Yes, it is like The Crucible. The Crucible is a play written in 1953 by Arthur Miller, and is also based off of the Salem Witch trails. The Crucible did not inspire me to write this. I did not steal anything from Mr. Miller. I used actual, recorded, historical facts from the Salem Witch Trials in 1962-1963.   
> That was really the only questions in regards to the story itself. I wont say anything on how slow I am to update. But if you have others, please leave a question. I would love the feed back and I will take it as a challenge.


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